Compressed speech (speed listening), in which audiotapes are speeded up, is examined in this paper along with its relationship to the reading process. Among the topics discussed first are the close relationship between reading and listening, the rationale behind compressed speech, and the use of compressed speech in business communication, special education, and reading instruction. Results of recent relevant research are then reported; the research includes the development of a test to evaluate the listening comprehension of pupils in grades four through eight; an examination of the relationship between listening comprehension, reading comprehension, and intelligence; the administration of listening tests at each of six different speeds; and the experimental use of the compressed speech technique in grades four through eight in the areas of social studies, science, and English literature. The results, reported in narrative and tabular form, suggest that children generally learn as well by listening as by reading, that there is a significant relationship between speed of reading and of listening, that teachers are enthusiastic about the compressed speech technique after using it, and that the use of the auditory mode along with the visual mode shows promise for helping students with learning problems. (GT)